CAMDEN — This spring, rowers from Megunticook Rowing’s junior program completed a stellar season by participating in the Amber Zapatka Memorial Regatta in Lowell, Massachusetts on May 12-13, the Moose on the Malden Regatta in Malden, Massachusetts May 20 and Maine Youth Rowing Association State Championship on June 2 in Brunswick.

The rowers, ranging in ranging in age from 12-19, had successful showings in each of these regattas bringing home medals and gearing up for a fun summer of more relaxed rowing.

At the Amber Zapatka Memorial Regatta, both the boys novice 4+ and girl’s novice 8+ boats brought home bronze medals, beating out crews from all over New England.

In the boys boat, finishing third of six, were Coxswain Olivia Goodwin-Cook and rowers Luke James, Jason LeBlond, Corrado Rossi and Tristan Black. In the girls novice 8+, placing third out of 18 crews, were coxswain Charlotte Taylor, Kerry Ettinger, Aniela Creek, Elsa Chandler, Katie Southworth, Leah Doolen, Sydney White, Sarah Van Lonkhuyzen and Alley Johnson. Also participating were: girls varsity 4+, coxswain Olivia Goodwin-Cook, rowers Eve Gutheinz, Sage Curtis, Elle Lincoln and Lyra Kalajian and the girls lightweight 4+ Cox Kat O’Brien, Ariel Power, Sadie Mills, Sarah Spizzuoco and Tessa Meil.

At the Moose on the Malden regatta, Megunticook’s crews also came home with medals rowing against crews from Maine and Massachusetts.

The girls novice 8+ won gold coming in first out of eight boats and winning by 22 seconds over second place Camden Hills crew. Their finishing time was so fast that they were two seconds ahead of the fastest boys novice 8+ time. Coxing the boat was Charlotte Taylor and rowing were Kerry Ettinger, Aniela Creek, Elsa Chandler, Katie Southworth, Leah Doolen, Sydney White, Sarah Van Lonkhuyzen and Alley Johnson. The Boys Novice 4+ took silver in a 10-boat race with Coxswain Olivia Goodwin-Cook at the helm and Luke James, Jason LeBlond, Corrado Rossi and Tristan Black plying the oars. Also competing in the races were the girls varsity 8+, coxed by Abby Nathan with rowers Caroline Looke, Tessa Mott, Malea Russell, Sage Curtis, Alli Wells, Tessa Gabriel, Lyra Kalajian, Elle Lincoln. The girls novice 4+ was coxed by Kat O’Brien and rowers Oona Stewart, Alison McDonald, Josie Lincoln and Leah Bloomquist.

The crew’s final event of the spring was the Maine Youth Rowing Association Regatta held in Brunswick sandwiched between standardized testing and prom preparations. This regatta traditionally has no medals and is rowed against all the other Maine youth rowing teams, which saw six crews participate.

As junior’s rowing has exploded in Maine over the past 10 years, this regatta was created so that Maine crews wouldn’t always have to travel to southern New England to compete. The boys novice 4+ placed second with coxswain Olivia Goodwin-Cook and rowers Luke James, Jason LeBlond, Corado Rossi and Tristan Black. The boys second novice 4+ placed third, with coxswain George Bickham and rowers Addison Castellano, Tanner Castellano, Devon Guptill and Alistair Levitt. The girls first novice 4+ placed second. Coxing the boat was Kat O’Brien and rowing were Elsa Chandler, Aniela Creek, Leah Doolen, Katie Southworth. Two boats rowed in the Girls second novice 4+ race. The “A” boat placed second, coxed by Charlotte Taylor and rowed by Elle Lincoln, Sarah Van Lonkhuyzen, Alli Wells and Alley Johnson. The “B” boat placed sixth, with cox Tessa Meil and rowers Oona Stewart, Alison McDonald, Josie Lincoln and Leah Bloomquist. The girls novice 2X, rowed by Sadie Mills and Amanda Mirabile, raced in the same race as the Girls Novice 4+’s because there were no other doubles in their category. They placed third overall. The Girls Varsity 4+ came in 3rd with Abby Nathan coxing and Malea Russell, Sage Curtis, Caroline Looke, Tessa Gabriel rowing. The juniors program, featuring rowers ages 12-22, is coached by Head Coach Amy Wilton, Lisa Morgan, Bob Perkins and Tris Coburn.

This summer Megunticook Rowing again offers learn-to-row, private and semi-private to anyone ages 12 and up. If you have never rowed before and are curious to try, come join us on the water at beautiful Megunticook Lake for a four day learn-to-row class with our experienced, enthusiastic summer coaches. No experience is needed, just a desire to have fun and a willingness to try something new. Experienced rowers ages 12 to 22 may join the juniors team practice three mornings a week in Barrett’s Cove. Megunticook Rowing is a community-based, non-profit rowing program located at Barrett's Cove on Megunticook Lake in Camden providing rowing opportunities to people of all ages and abilities, from middle school students to octogenarians. For more information and to enroll in classes or purchase a 12 row pass, please visit megunticookrowing.org or email at summercoach@megunticookrowing.org. 

Reach the sports department at: sports@penbaypilot.com.